Process of manufacturing combs from celluloid.



Ne. 688,223. Patented Dec. 3, I90l.

c. BENSINGER. PROCESS OF MANUFACTURING COMBS FROM GELLULOID.

(Applicntioxi filed Oct. 14, 1901 (No Model.)

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rm: Noam PETERS c0 wow-mun" WASHINGTON, n. c.

i'rnn STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CARL BENSINGER, OF MANNHEIM, GERMANY.

PROCESS OF MANUFACTURING COMBS FROM CELLULOID.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 688,223, dated December3, 1901.

Original application fiIedMarch 19, 1901 Serial No. 51,876- Divided andthis application filed October 14, 1901. Serial No. 78,518. (Nospecimens.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, CARL BENSINGER, a subject of the Grand Duke ofBaden, residing at M No. 16, Mannheim, in the Grand Duchy of Baden,German Empire, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in theProcesses of Manufacturing Combs from Celluloid; and I do hereby declarethat the following is a full, clear, and exact description of myinvention, which will enable others skilled in the art to which itappertains to make and use the same This invention relates to the makingof celluloid combs.

It has been the usual practice in making the various kinds of celluloidcombs heretofore to out large sheets of celluloid into strips of a sizeapproximating the size of the combs which it is desired to make, next toremove a portion of the celluloid from each side of such strip near theedge which it is proposed shall receive the teeth of the comb in such away that the cross-section of such strip will have the desired form fora combthat is to say, it will be thicker at the back than at the frontedgeand then to form the teeth in the blank thus produced by sawing orcutting. In the above method the removal of the celluloid from the sidesof the strips involves a considerable loss in material, labor, and time.Many attempts have been made heretofore for the purpose of avoiding theloss, such attempts relating to the production of the combblanks bypressing the celluloid in dies, after which the comb-blanks werecompleted by sawing or cutting teeth in them. In carrying out theseattempts two general methods were employed, viz: First, the materialemployed was either fresh or undried celluloid as it came from themixing-roller or blockcutting machine, or, second, said materialconsisted of plates of dried celluloid made plastic by heat. Both thesemethods have been unsuccessful for the following reasons: In the firstmethod the blanks produced by pressing become porous, owing to the factthat the solvent in the fresh material volatilizes from said materialand condenses on the sides of the molds; also, the blanks thus obtainedmust of necessity be subjected to a drying process, which results in thedeformation or warping of the comb-blanks, whereby they are renderedworthless. In the second method as the plates of dried celluloid, madeplastic by heat, were of a substantially uniform thickness, while thecomb-blanks to be obtained were of varying thickness, a considerabledisplacement of the material by the pressure applied took place, thusdeveloping large internal strains in the comb-blanks, whereby itresulted that when the final step of cutting the teeth in the blank wasundertaken the blank would break. Hence in all these old pressingprocesses a certain molecular strain was produced which spoiled theblanks.

It is the object of my invention to avoid the disadvantages as beforepointed out of the methods heretofore practiced and known for producingcelluloid combs.

In carrying out my process I form my combblanks from a block ofcelluloid by dividing the block in planes a distance apart correspondingto the thickness of the comb-blank and which are successively at such anangle to each other that the blanks thus cut from the block of celluloidwill have the desired cross-section, and the blanks thus produced arethen heated and pressed in a suitable die to form the teeth in the comband complete the general shaping of the comb. The comb is thuspractically completed, and after cleaning and finishing it is ready forthe market. The comb-blanks are preferably formed from the block ofcelluloid by sawing through the block with planes of division so spacedand at such an angle to each other that each combblank thus produced hasthe desired crosssection.

It will be seen that by my process combblanks are obtained in thedesired shape without loss of material or labor and without altering thedensity of any part of the combblank. The block of celluloid can readilybe produced of substantially uniform density,

and the comb-blanks may thus be formed without the production ofinternal strains in the blank. As in producing combs in accordance withmy improved process the material is notsubjected to any considerablemolecular strain either during the forming of the blanks or during thesubsequent operation of pressing to form the teeth, combs produced inaccordance with my process are strong and durable.

My process will be fully understood from the above description when readin connection with the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 shows asan example of one mode of cutting the blanks a perspective view of ablock of celluloid having a thickness equal to the width of the comb tobe produced and having the planes in which it is divided to form thecomb-blanks indicated by dotted lines. Fig. 2 shows in side elevationand'in transverse section a comb-blank produced in accordance with myinvention. Fig. 3 illustrates one of the two parts of a mold in whichthe blank is pressed, the matrix or hollow corresponding to the shape ofthe comb being indicated at c. Fig. 4 is a side elevation of a completedcomb; and Fig. 5 is a transverse section of the same, the teeth beingprovided with oblique surfaces, asindicated at c.

What I claim, and desire to secure by Let ters Patent of the UnitedStates, is

1. The process of making celluloid combs which consists in sawing thecomb-blanks from a block of celluloid, adjacent saw-cuts being in planesat such an angle to each other as to form blanks of the desired shape,and then subjecting the blanks to heat and compression to form the teethand to substan tially complete the shape of the comb, substantially asdescribed.

2. The process of making celluloid combs, which consists in forming theblanks from a block of celluloid by dividing the block in planessuccessively at such an angle to each other as'to form blanks'of thedesired shape, and then subjecting the blanks to heat and compression toform the teeth and to substantially complete the shape of'the comb,substantially as described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention I have signed myname in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

CARL BENSINGER.

Witnesses:

H. E. KEIPP, T. TUNG.

